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What Is Problem-Solving Therapy?

social problem solving therapy

Daniel B. Block, MD, is an award-winning, board-certified psychiatrist who operates a private practice in Pennsylvania.

social problem solving therapy

Verywell / Madelyn Goodnight

Effectiveness

Things to consider, how to get started.

Problem-solving therapy is a form of therapy that provides patients with tools to identify and solve problems that arise from life stressors, both big and small. Its aim is to improve your overall quality of life and reduce the negative impact of psychological and physical illness.

Problem-solving therapy can be used to treat depression , among other conditions. It can be administered by a doctor or mental health professional and may be combined with other treatment approaches.

Problem-solving therapy is based on a model that takes into account the importance of real-life problem-solving. In other words, the key to managing the impact of stressful life events is to know how to address issues as they arise. Problem-solving therapy is very practical in its approach and is only concerned with the present, rather than delving into your past.

This form of therapy can take place one-on-one or in a group format and may be offered in person or online via telehealth . Sessions can be anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours long. 

There are two major components that make up the problem-solving therapy framework:

A positive problem-solving orientation means viewing things in an optimistic light, embracing self-efficacy , and accepting the idea that problems are a normal part of life. Problem-solving skills are behaviors that you can rely on to help you navigate conflict, even during times of stress. This includes skills like:

Problem-solving therapy is all about training you to become adaptive in your life so that you will start to see problems as challenges to be solved instead of insurmountable obstacles. It also means that you will recognize the action that is required to engage in effective problem-solving techniques.

One problem-solving technique, called planful problem-solving, involves following a series of steps to fix issues in a healthy, constructive way:

Other techniques your therapist may go over include:

What Problem-Solving Therapy Can Help With

Problem-solving therapy addresses issues related to life stress and is focused on helping you find solutions to concrete issues. This approach can be applied to problems associated with a variety of psychological and physiological symptoms.

Problem-solving therapy may help address mental health issues, like:

This form of therapy is also helpful for dealing with specific life problems, such as:

Your doctor or mental healthcare professional will be able to advise whether problem-solving therapy could be helpful for your particular issue. In general, if you are struggling with specific, concrete problems that you are having trouble finding solutions for, problem-solving therapy could be helpful for you.

Benefits of Problem-Solving Therapy

The skills learned in problem-solving therapy can be helpful for managing all areas of your life. These can include:

This form of therapy was initially developed to help people combat stress through effective problem-solving, and it was later adapted to specifically address clinical depression. Today, much of the research on problem-solving therapy deals with its effectiveness in treating depression.

Problem-solving therapy has been shown to help depression in: 

Problem-solving therapy also appears to be effective as a brief treatment for depression, offering benefits in as little as six to eight sessions with a therapist or another healthcare professional. This may make it a good option for someone who is unable to commit to a lengthier treatment for depression.

Problem-solving therapy is not a good fit for everyone. It may not be effective at addressing issues that don't have clear solutions, like seeking meaning or purpose in life. Problem-solving therapy is also intended to treat specific problems, not general habits or thought patterns .

In general, it's also important to remember that problem-solving therapy is not a primary treatment for mental disorders. If you are living with the symptoms of a serious mental illness such as bipolar disorder or schizophrenia , you may need additional treatment with evidence-based approaches for your particular concern.

Problem-solving therapy is best aimed at someone who has a mental or physical issue that is being treated separately, but who also has life issues that go along with that problem that has yet to be addressed.

For example, it could help if you can't clean your house or pay your bills because of your depression, or if a cancer diagnosis is interfering with your quality of life.

Your doctor may be able to recommend therapists in your area who utilize this approach, or they may offer it themselves as part of their practice. You can also search for a problem-solving therapist with help from the American Psychological Association’s (APA) Society of Clinical Psychology .

If receiving problem-solving therapy from a doctor or mental healthcare professional is not an option for you, you could also consider implementing it as a self-help strategy using a workbook designed to help you learn problem-solving skills on your own.

During your first session, your therapist may spend some time explaining their process and approach. They may ask you to identify the problem you’re currently facing, and they’ll likely discuss your goals for therapy.

Problem-solving therapy may be a short-term intervention that's focused on solving a specific issue in your life. If you need further help with something more pervasive, it can also become a longer-term treatment option.

Pierce D. Problem solving therapy - Use and effectiveness in general practice . Aust Fam Physician . 2012;41(9):676-679.

Cuijpers P, Wit L de, Kleiboer A, Karyotaki E, Ebert DD. Problem-solving therapy for adult depression: An updated meta-analysis . Eur Psychiatry . 2018;48(1):27-37. doi:10.1016/j.eurpsy.2017.11.006

Nezu AM, Nezu CM, D'Zurilla TJ. Problem-Solving Therapy: A Treatment Manual . New York; 2013. doi:10.1891/9780826109415.0001

Hatcher S, Sharon C, Parag V, Collins N. Problem-solving therapy for people who present to hospital with self-harm: Zelen randomised controlled trial . Br J Psychiatry . 2011;199(4):310-316. doi:10.1192/bjp.bp.110.090126

Sorsdahl K, Stein DJ, Corrigall J, et al. The efficacy of a blended motivational interviewing and problem solving therapy intervention to reduce substance use among patients presenting for emergency services in South Africa: A randomized controlled trial . Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy . 2015;10(1):46. doi:doi.org/10.1186/s13011-015-0042-1

Kirkham JG, Choi N, Seitz DP. Meta-analysis of problem solving therapy for the treatment of major depressive disorder in older adults . Int J Geriatr Psychiatry . 2016;31(5):526-535. doi:10.1002/gps.4358

Garand L, Rinaldo DE, Alberth MM, et al. Effects of problem solving therapy on mental health outcomes in family caregivers of persons with a new diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment or early dementia: A randomized controlled trial . Am J Geriatr Psychiatry . 2014;22(8):771-781. doi:10.1016/j.jagp.2013.07.007

Hopko DR, Armento MEA, Robertson SMC, et al. Brief behavioral activation and problem-solving therapy for depressed breast cancer patients: Randomized trial . J Consult Clin Psychol . 2011;79(6):834-849. doi:10.1037/a0025450

Nieuwsma JA, Trivedi RB, McDuffie J, Kronish I, Benjamin D, Williams JW. Brief psychotherapy for depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis . Int J Psychiatry Med . 2012;43(2):129-151. doi:10.2190/PM.43.2.c

By Arlin Cuncic Arlin Cuncic, MA, is the author of "Therapy in Focus: What to Expect from CBT for Social Anxiety Disorder" and "7 Weeks to Reduce Anxiety."

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9: Problem Solving Therapy

Risk Management and Treatment » Non-pharmacologic Treatments 9 : Problem Solving Therapy

We suggest offering problem-solving based psychotherapies to: a) Patients with a history of more than one incident of self-directed violence to reduce repeat incidents of such behaviors; b) Patients with a history of recent self-directed violence to reduce suicidal ideation; and/or c) Patients with hopelessness and a history of moderate to severe traumatic brain injury

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Grades and Definitions ✖

Recommendation resources.

Problem-Solving Therapy (PST) for Suicide Prevention is a brief form of evidence-based treatment that teaches and empowers patients to solve the here-and-now problems contributing to suicidal ideation, self-directed violence and hopelessness. It has been shown to help increase self-efficacy and reduce risk of self-harm and suicide.

Training Resources

This section includes links to recommended trainings about PST.

This section includes links to recommended manuals about PST.

CPG Webinar

This section includes links to recommended articles about CBT-SP.

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Social Skills Training for Adults: 10 Best Activities + PDF

Social skills training for adults

Struggles with social skills in adulthood can cause avoidance of social situations and interfere with building long-lasting relationships.

Providing social skills training to clients with anxiety, fear of public speaking, and similar issues could ensure more optimal functioning.

This article provides strategies and training options for the development of various social skills. Several resources to help target specific struggles related to the development of social skills in adults are also included, and the approaches can be tailored to improve social responses in specific domains.

Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our three Positive Psychology Exercises for free . These science-based exercises will explore fundamental aspects of positive psychology including strengths, values, and self-compassion, and will give you the tools to enhance the wellbeing of your clients, students, or employees.

This Article Contains:

Social skills training for adults explained, social skills coaching: 2 best activities, role-playing exercises: 4 scripts & examples, top 2 resources & worksheets, 4 insightful videos & podcasts, positivepsychology.com’s helpful tools, a take-home message.

Social skills training includes interventions and instructional methods that help an individual improve and understand social behavior. The goal of social skills training is to teach people about verbal and nonverbal behaviors that are involved in typical social interactions (“Social,” n.d.).

Social skills training is usually initiated when adults have not learned or been taught appropriate interpersonal skills or have trouble reading subtle cues in social interactions. These instances can also be associated with disorders that impede social development, such as autism.

Therapists who practice social skills training first focus on breaking down more complex social behaviors into smaller portions. Next, they develop an individualized program for patients, depending on what social skills they need to work on, and gradually introduce those skills to their patients, building up their confidence through gradual exposure.

For instance, a person who has trouble making eye contact because of anxiety in social situations might be given strategies to maintain eye contact by the therapist. Eye contact is the foundation for most social interaction, and interventions will often start with improving the individual’s ability to maintain eye contact.

During therapy, other challenging areas will be identified such as starting or maintaining a conversation or asking questions. Each session will focus on different activities that typically involve role-play and sometimes will take place in a group setting to simulate different social experiences.

Once confidence has been built up during therapy or social skills group settings, these social skills can be brought into daily life.

Useful assessments: Tests, checklists, questionnaires, & scales

Before engaging your clients in social skills interventions or any type of therapeutic intervention, it is important to determine if social skills therapy is a good approach to help them with their current situation.

The Is Social Skills Training Right for Me? checklist is a self-assessment opportunity for clients to determine if social skills therapy is appropriate for their specific situation or if another approach will be more beneficial.

However, self-assessment activities can sometimes be unreliable, as the individual might not fully understand the treatment models that are available to them. Additionally, if a client has issues with social skills, they may not be aware of their deficiencies in social situations.

In these situations, therapists should ask clients about the issues they are having and encourage them to engage in self-questioning during sessions.

9 Questions to ask your clients

Prior to starting social skills training or activities, the therapist and client should narrow down which areas need help. A therapist can do this by asking the client a series of questions, including:

Clients can also ask themselves some questions to determine if the social skills therapy process is right for them.

These questions can include:

Getting clients to ask these questions will help determine if this process will benefit them. Having clients “buy in” to the process is important, to ensure that the approach is right for them and increase the likelihood that they will be engaged to complete activities with a reasonable degree of efficacy.

Eye contact

It is estimated that adults make eye contact 30–60% of the time in general conversation, increasing to 60–70% of the time when trying to form a more intimate relationship (Cognitive Development Learning Centre, 2019).

Giving people who are struggling socially the tools to make more eye contact is usually the first step in social skills training exercises.

The Strategies for Maintaining Eye Contact  worksheet provides some practical strategies and tips to practice making eye contact.

Sometimes, people who struggle with making eye contact overcompensate, leading to social blunders while simply trying to increase their ability to socialize effectively. This handy worksheet on Do’s and Don’ts When Making Eye Contact  breaks down exactly what is acceptable when making eye contact and what behaviors should be avoided.

Often, one of the most prominent struggles for people lacking social skills is starting a conversation, especially with people they are not familiar with.

Fleming (2013) details a helpful method for people who struggle with starting conversations. The ARE method can be used to initiate a conversation and gain an understanding of the person’s interests to facilitate a strong relationship.

This worksheet Starting a Conversation – The ARE Method guides participants through each step in the ARE process. It also provides examples of how the ARE method can be incorporated into a typical conversation and used as a workable strategy in social skills training activities.

A Guide to Small Talk: Conversation Starters and Replies  provides an outline of conversation ideas to help start any conversation, no matter the setting.

After developing the ability to start a conversation, being able to project assertiveness and understand one’s limits is essential in ensuring clear communication.

These worksheets on Different Ways to Say ‘No’ Politely and Using ‘I’ Statements in Conversation  facilitate assertive communication and give clients the confidence to set personal limits.

Shyness

A lack of opportunity to learn coping strategies and difficulty with emotional regulation have been associated with anxiety and low problem-solving abilities (Anderson & Kazantzis, 2008).

An individual’s lack of ability to problem solve in social situations significantly affects their ability to come up with reasonable solutions to typical social problems, which in turn, causes them to avoid more difficult social situations.

Practicing social problem solving is a key component of social skills training. This worksheet on Social Problem Solving allows your clients to define the problems they are facing and rate the potential solutions from low to high efficacy.

Based on the rating, therapists can instruct clients to practice their social reasoning during sessions. Practicing these skills builds clients’ confidence and increases the likelihood that they will access these solutions under pressure.

Similarly, the Imagining Solutions to Social Problems worksheet implements a related process, but challenges participants to engage in a visualization activity. While engaging in visualization, participants have the opportunity to imagine what they would say or do, and reflect on what they have learned and why the solution they chose was best for that particular problem.

Supplementing modeling and practical activities with interactive audio-visual aids, such as podcasts and videos, is an essential practice in ensuring that patients seeking social skills training are getting multiple perspectives to develop their social intelligence.

Below, we have provided resources to help your clients with different social skills and situations.

An introvert’s guide to social freedom – Kaspars Breidaks

This TEDx talk focuses on providing guidelines for self-identified introverts. In this video, Breidaks frames introversion as an opportunity, rather than a weakness.

Based on his experiences moving from a small town to a big city and eventually starting improv comedy, he developed a workshop to help integrate principles of improvisation into social skills training.

His workshops focus on creating connections through eye contact and breaking through shyness by training the small talk muscle. Because of his experience, he recommends you say yes to yourself before saying yes to others. Breidaks theorizes that only by developing our awareness of our own true emotions and thoughts can we become more comfortable interacting with others.

This video is helpful if your patients need workable tips to improve their interactions with strangers and is an excellent complement to some of our worksheets on developing skills for small talk.

10 Ways to have a better conversation – Celeste Headlee

This TEDx talk is focused on tactics to have more effective conversations. In her TED talk, Headlee emphasizes the importance of honesty, clarity, and listening to others as well as yourself.

Headlee shares her ideas about how to talk and listen to others, specifically focusing on sustaining clear, coherent conversation and the importance of clear, direct communication.

She argues that technology has interfered with the development of interpersonal skills, stating that conversation is an art that is fundamentally underrated and should be emphasized more, especially among young children.

The main point Headlee tries to get across is to avoid multitasking and pontificating during conversation. Individuals who are struggling with active listening and keeping a conversation going would benefit from the tips she offers in this video, as she uses a lot of the same principles when interviewing her radio guests to ensure that she is getting the most out of their appearances.

She specifically emphasizes the importance of being continually present while talking and listening to someone, which is strongly emphasized in social skills training.

How Can I Say This – Beth Buelow

How can I say this Podcast

Each episode also provides techniques or approaches to help listeners become more confident when dealing with different social situations. The podcast also takes listener questions about dealing with social situations and issues.

If your clients are struggling with introducing themselves to new people, they may benefit from the episodes on talking to strangers and how to have difficult conversations.

Available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts .

Social Skills Coaching – Patrick King

Social Skills Coaching Podcast

King focuses on using emotional intelligence and understanding human interaction to help break down emotional barriers, improve listeners’ confidence, and equip people with the tools they need for success.

Although King’s expertise is centered on romantic relationships, this podcast provides strategies to improve one’s emotional awareness and engage in better communication.

People engaging in social skills training would benefit from the episode on social sensitivity, which examines the social dynamics of the brain. It also explains why our brains are programmed to respond more to specific traits (e.g., warmth, dominance) and why people with those traits are often elevated to higher positions within the social hierarchy.

Available on  Apple Podcasts .

There are several resources available on our website to complement the social skills training that you are providing to your clients.

Our Emotional Intelligence Masterclass© trains helping professionals in methodology that helps increase their client’s emotional intelligence.

The client workbook has several exercises that practitioners can give their clients to develop an awareness of their emotions and, subsequently, understand how those emotions might contribute to interactions with others.

Our Positive Psychology Toolkit© provides over 400 exercises and tools, and the Social Network Investment exercise, included in the Toolkit, focuses on reflecting on a client’s current social network. By further looking into the amount of time and investment devoted to the members of their social network, clients can further identify who is supportive of their endeavors and who negatively affects experiences.

With this knowledge, relationships can be analyzed before devoting even more time and investment that might not facilitate positive emotions.

People who struggle with initiating conversation might also have trouble talking about their emotions. Our exercise on Asking for Support , also in the Toolkit, can provide assistance to someone having trouble communicating their emotions.

It also provides strategies to practice asking for help when needed. This exercise also gives you the opportunity to identify any personal barriers that are impending your ability to seek help from others.

You might be interested in this sister article, Social Skills Training for Kids , which provides top resources for teachers. To enhance your knowledge, our Social Skills Books for Adults & Kids  is a must-read selection of top books.

If you’re looking for more science-based ways to help others enhance their wellbeing, this signature collection contains 17 validated positive psychology tools for practitioners . Use them to help others flourish and thrive.

Improving social skills is an important skill to develop for anyone trying to facilitate professional and personal connections.

However, sometimes clients might not even realize they need targeted interventions to help with their social skills, and they might approach a therapist with other challenges around anxiety entering new situations.

For that reason, we hope this article provided valuable options for the development of social skills, with useful activities and social skills worksheets to be incorporated into your sessions.

We encourage you and your clients to explore these exercises together and engage in goal-setting tools to target areas that will benefit their daily lives, relationships, and communication.

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don’t forget to download our three Positive Psychology Exercises for free .

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What our readers think.

Amelia

Hi there a lot of the links don’t work in this article? How can I access the resources?

Caroline Rou

Thanks for your question! We are working on updating all the broken links in our articles, as they can be outdated. Which specific resource are you looking for?

Maybe I can help 🙂

Kind regards, -Caroline | Community Manager

Robin

Living socially isolated, getting told I have autism ad the age of 33, I found out that I have a lot to learn about being social with people. Now knowing what my “ problem” is also gave me the drive to improve my people skills. Fearing I willing never fully understand feelings ( not even my own) all help is welcome. And this was a very helpful article. Living in a world with tips and tricks to look normal will never be easy. But you sure help me .. thank you..

M

AMAZING work.. .as always. Thank you !

Dane Custance

Thank you Gabriella social skills have been a real issue for me for my whole life. There are so many helpful avenues to explore thanks this article.

Steven Cronson

Steven Cronson My brothers didn’t consider me an Aspie and made a pact to ignore me , block me I hadn’t even learned many social skills my brother a psychiatrist tried by giving me ptsd and gad a Divorce to try to get me to end my life. My wife proudly fought back and figured out how better to understand me. And I fought the awful had medicine Lexapro that I consider the devil in a pill that made me flat and losing my superpower focusing ability. I hope a producer latched on to my fascinating story of greed, over good, attack on my very life and a brother doctor that should never been one. My dad a psychiatrist made me a DDS to be respected and listened to but not even work and married off in a fake but better life. They accused me an Aspie blind to empathy. B

Nicole Celestine, Ph.D.

I’m sorry to read about your challenges with your family. It’s good that you have what sounds like a supportive ally in your wife. And indeed, medications don’t work for everyone — or it may be the case that a different medication may suit you better. Definitely raise these concerns with a trusted psychiatrist if you feel medication could help you.

As you note, it’s a harmful myth that those on the autism spectrum don’t feel empathy. And this myth unfairly stigmatises members of this community. I’m sorry to read about these accusations from your family.

On another note, if you’d like to work on your social skills, consider reaching out to support groups for those with Aspergers in your area, or seeking the support of a therapist with expertise in this area. Psychology Today has a great directory you can use to find therapists in your local area. Usually, the therapists provide a summary in their profile with their areas of expertise and types of issues they are used to working with.

I hope this helps, and I wish you all the best.

– Nicole | Community manager

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social problem solving therapy

Problem Solving Therapy: PST in 3 Steps

Problem solving therapy is a psychotherapy that focuses on the cognitive and emotional processes of an individual with the aim to solve their problems. The aim of this blog post is to explore how it works, who can benefit from it and what are its benefits. Problem solving therapy is a cognitive behavioral therapeutic approach that focuses on the present and future rather than the past.

Problem Solving Therapy  Steps

problem solving therapy

What is Problem Solving Therapy?

Problem solving therapy is a cognitive-behavioral technique intended to enhance an individual’s ability to deal with traumatic life events. The premise of problem solving therapy is that people cannot change what has happened, but they can learn to accept it and take control of their life.

Who developed Problem Solving Therapy?

Problem-solving therapy was developed by Jeffrey Young in 1987 as an integration of cognitive psychotherapy, rational emotive behavior therapy, and developmental theories such as Piaget’s theory of moral development.

Regardless of the time, the existence of a problem is often perceived as troubling. The problem is, in the most general sense, “the differences and obstacles between the current situation and the desired situation” (Nezu, Nezu and D ‘Zurilla, 2007).

According to D ‘Zurilla, Nezu, and Maydeu-Olivares’, who suggested the concept of social problem solving based on the fact that a human being is a social entity, the problem is “when a person needs to react to adapt in case of any life situation or task that needs to be accomplished. It occurs when there is no obvious or obviously effective response depending on the presence of obstacles. In fact, the problem arises when a person makes a “mistake in showing the effective and appropriate response” or “a difference between what he is currently in and what he wants to be”.

problem solving

The existence of a problematic situation inevitably requires an effort for a solution. Therefore, the problem situation requires coping, dealing with obstacles, and more effort and especially change. In other words, it is necessary to act and change in order to reach the desired situation from the current situation. Changing can also be perceived as a difficult and disturbing process. At this point, people’s problem-solving styles may differ, whether effective or ineffective.

problem solving therapy: pst in 3 steps 1

D’Zurilla and Nezu (1990) define social problem solving as the cognitive, affective, and behavioral process that the individual attempts and produces to find an effective way to cope with problem situations in daily life.

The main purpose of problem solving therapy is to teach people how to approach the problems they face and the strategies they will follow to solve the problems. From this point of view, problem solving therapy aims to both treat mental problems caused by the failure of the problems and prevent the occurrence of psychological problems.

problem solving therapy: pst in 3 steps 2

Problem-solving therapy recognizes that any problems we experience are part of our lives. We can be sick at any moment, lose someone we love, be abandoned by our beloved, be fired from our job, be humiliated by others, suffer injustice. So the dream of a smooth world is unrealistic. The important thing is how we deal with them rather than the existence of problems.

The main starting point of problem solving therapy is that the problem solving skills of people who have mental problems are not sufficient and effective. Problem solving therapy, which is a cognitive-behavioral therapy model, focuses on the thoughts and behaviors of people. This method acknowledges that functional changes in thoughts and behaviors will be effective in the treatment of psychological problems.

problem solving therapy: pst in 3 steps 3

Problem solving therapy is a cognitive-behavioral method. The importance of this is that the effectiveness of therapy has been proven by experimental studies. Scientific studies have shown that the inadequacies of people in their problem solving abilities are effective both in forming and maintaining psychopathologies. Therefore, problem solving therapy can be used both to overcome psychological problems caused by the problems experienced and to effectively deal with the problems.

Why Do We Need Problem Solving Therapy?

Some people may find it difficult to solve problems on their own, which can lead to frustration, anxiety, and even depression. Problem-solving therapy is a type of talk therapy that can help people learn how to solve problems in a healthy way.

The therapist will work with the patient to identify and understand the problem, brainstorm possible solutions, select the best solution, and put the plan into action. This type of therapy can be helpful for people who have difficulty coping with stress or who are dealing with a major life change.

Working with a therapist is beneficial because they will have access to tools that allow them to find the root causes of the problem. 

There is also often a misconnection in early childhood that leads people to seek this type of therapy which, again means they’re less likely to try and self-solve their own issues.

Effectiveness of Problem Solving Theory

Problem-solving therapy was created to assist customers to solve problems and improve their lives. It was later modified to focus on treating clinical depression specifically. Today, the majority of the research on problem-solving therapy is concerned with how effectively it can help people get over sadness.

Problem-solving therapy has been shown to help depression in: 

Problem-solving therapy has also been found to be beneficial as a brief therapy for depression, with benefits seen after just six to eight sessions with a therapist or another healthcare professional. This may make it an appealing alternative for those who are unable to commit to a longer depression treatment.

Last Updated on December 10, 2022 by Lucas Berg

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Related post, habit reversal training (hrt) and behavioral therapy: hrt in 4 easy steps, the myth of napoleon complex in women and 9 most successful short women celebrities, family counseling services: everything you should know, privacy overview.

Problem-Solving Therapy (PST)

(For resources, this is the publication date. For programs, this is the date posted.)

Information

Visit the the  National Network of PST Clinicians, Trainers, & Researchers  for training options and resources. Also see the  archived NREPP listing .

Visit the the  National Network of PST Clinicians, Trainers, & Researchers .

Problem-Solving Therapy (PST) is a brief psychosocial treatment for patients experiencing depression and distress related to inefficient problem-solving skills. The PST model instructs patients on problem identification, efficient problem-solving, and managing associated depressive symptoms.

While there are different types of PST, they are all based on the same principle of resolving depression by re-engaging the client in active problem-solving and activities. In general, PST involves the following seven stages: (1) selecting and defining the problem, (2) establishing realistic and achievable goals for problem resolution, (3) generating alternative solutions, (4) implementing decision-making guidelines, (5) evaluation and choosing solutions, (6) implementing the preferred solutions, and (7) evaluating the outcome. A primary focus is learning and practicing PST skills, which are centered around empowering patients to learn to solve problems on their own.

Overall, the number of PST sessions may range from between 4 and 12. Individual sessions are, on average, 40 minutes long; however, group sessions can last up to 90 minutes. Each PST session follows a typical structure of agenda-setting, reviewing progress, engaging in the PST model problem-solving activities, reviewing action plans, and wrap-up.

PST can be used in wide range of settings and patient populations, including adaptations for those in primary care and those who are homebound, medically ill, and elderly. It can be delivered by a variety of providers, including mental health professionals, social workers, and health professionals, including primary care physicians and nurses.

Designation as a “Program with Evidence of Effectiveness”

SPRC designated this intervention as a “program with evidence of effectiveness” based on its inclusion in SAMHSA’s National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices (NREPP). 

Outcome(s) Reviewed (Evidence Rating)*

Read more about the  program’s ratings .

———————

* NREPP changed its review criteria in 2015. This program was reviewed under the post-2015 criteria. To help practitioners find programs that fit their needs, NREPP reviews the evidence for specific outcomes, not overall programs. Each outcome was assigned an evidence rating of Effective, Promising, or Ineffective. A single program may have multiple outcomes with different ratings.  When considering programs, we recommend (a) assessing whether the specific outcomes achieved by the program are a fit for your needs; and (b) examining the strength of evidence for each outcome.

2012 NSSP Objectives Addressed: 

Objective 8.3: Promote timely access to assessment, intervention, and effective care for individuals with a heightened risk for suicide.

social problem solving therapy

Problem Solving Treatment (PST)

The AIMS Center encourages organizations and clinicians to pursue certification in Problem Solving Treatment (PST). Clinicians are taught by expert trainers using procedures and standards set by the National Network of PST Clinicians, Trainers & Researchers. Patrick J. Raue, PhD , Associate Director for Evidence-based Psychosocial Interventions at the AIMS Center, directs the National Network of PST Clinicians, Trainers & Researchers, which was founded by Patricia Areán, PhD . 

Problem Solving Treatment (PST), also known as Problem-Solving Treatment – Primary Care (PST-PC), is a brief, evidence-based approach that is effective with a majority of patient populations, including patients of many different cultures. PST teaches and empowers patients to solve the here-and-now problems contributing to their depression and helps increase their self-efficacy. 

As part of a treatment plan, PST typically involves six to ten sessions, depending on the patient’s needs. The first appointment is approximately one hour long (this can be split into two separate ½ hour sessions if scheduling an hour is difficult) because it includes psychoeducation and an introduction to the PST model. Subsequent appointments are 30 minutes long.

Psychotherapy plays an important part in a patient's treatment plan, given patient preferences and the limitations of antidepressant medications. Organizations implementing an integrated care program should have capacity to offer an evidence-based psychotherapy such as PST. PST sessions are billable as psychotherapy visits and can be provided by a variety of certified health care providers. 

Evidence Base 

PST is the most widely used intervention to treat depression and anxiety in a primary care environment. Research shows it significantly improves patient outcomes in a wide range of settings and patient populations. PST is effective for depression among all adult populations (aged 18-100), including older adults with mild cognitive impairment. 

The document below contains selected references demonstrating the efficacy of PST in primary care. 

Get Certified in PST

We offer two tiers of PST training for licensed clinicians: a shorter Course in PST (Tier 1) and full PST certification (Tier 2). We encourage clinicians to pursue Tier 2: PST Certification, as skill-based practice and expert feedback are important to meeting fidelity standards. Notably, the evidence base for the effectiveness of PST has been demonstrated using clinicians at this level of clinical skill. Click the links below for more information on the courses, including pricing and eligibility. 

A Course in PST  consists of a series of online modules introducing PST principles, followed by 6 monthly case presentation calls.

PST Certification  involves interactive online modules followed by individual phone-based practice sessions, 6 monthly group case presentation calls, and in-depth expert feedback on application of clinical skills based on session audiotape review. 

Become an Expert PST Trainer

Get certified as a PST Trainer , in these group training sessions participants will learn the skills needed to train others in PST. 

Continuing Education

The University of Washington AIMS Center is approved by the  American Psychological Association  (APA) to sponsor continuing education (CE) for psychologists. The AIMS Center maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Participants are eligible for 5 CE credits (PST Tier 1) or 8 CE credits (PST Tier 2). To recieve credits participants must attend the entire course and pass a learning evaluation. The CE credits can be used by most licensed mental health providers, including psychologists, clinical social workers, professional counselors, and marriage and family therapists. Clinicians should check their specific state requirements to confirm that credits awarded by the APA apply to them.

Conflict of Interest Disclosure Information

Training author, Anna Ratzliff, MD, PhD,  receives royalties from Wiley Publishers. This financial relationship has been mitigated. There are no other relevant financial relationships to disclose for authors or planners of this content. 

Registration

The certification process provided by the AIMS Center typically requires between 19 to 22 hours of clinician time over the course of seven months and requires demonstration of mastery of the technique.

Please read through the subsequent pages in the left-hand menu for more information about Tiers 1 and 2 of training.

Problem-Solving Therapy for Depression

social problem solving therapy

What is problem-solving therapy?

Problem-solving therapy (PST) is a form of psychotherapy. It may help you develop coping skills to manage upsetting life experiences.

“It’s the notion of focusing on the problem in the moment as opposed to psychodynamic therapy, which focuses on both the problem and the underpinnings,” explains Jaine L. Darwin, Psy.D., a psychologist and psychoanalyst in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

PST is also known as:

If you have depression and your doctor suspects that it stems from everyday life problems, they may recommend PST. This therapy may help you develop strategies to resolve those problems. In turn, it may relieve your depression symptoms.

What does PST treat?

Your doctor may recommend PST if you have depression. It may also help you manage other mental conditions or situations, such as:

What does PST involve?

During PST, your therapist will teach you how to use a step-by-step problem-solving process. They will help you:

Your therapy will likely include:

PST typically involves eight to 16 sessions. It can be delivered by a therapist during one-on-one or group sessions. You may also receive PST in a primary care setting from a general practitioner, such as your family doctor. Your insurance might cover some of the treatments.

What are the different types of PST?

There are three general types of problem-solving therapy:

What do experts say?

Problem-solving therapy may help you manage the symptoms of depression. But it probably won’t provide a cure on its own.

“With problem-solving therapy, you identify a circumscribed problem and together figure out behavioral or actionable strategies,” explains Jeffrey L. Binder, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at Argosy University in Atlanta. “Depression, in general, would be too broad a problem. You’d have to identify a particularly negative symptom or set of symptoms of depression or a particular environmental circumstance that is contributing to or causing the problem. The therapy is focused on very concrete problems.”

Ask your doctor for more information about PST. They can help you understand the potential benefits and risks. They may encourage you to combine PST with other treatments, such as medication. They may also recommend other forms of therapy.

Last medically reviewed on September 19, 2016

How we reviewed this article:

Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

Current Version

Dec 18, 2016

The Healthline Editorial Team

Kelly Morrell

Sep 19, 2016

Medically Reviewed By

Timothy J. Legg, PhD, PsyD

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Therapist Aid

social problem solving therapy

Problem Solving Packet

Guide your clients and groups through the problem solving process with the help of the Problem Solving Packet . Each page covers one of five problem solving steps with a rationale, tips, and questions. The steps include defining the problem, generating solutions, choosing one solution, implementing the solution, and reviewing the process.

Be sure to talk to your clients about how the five problem solving steps can be useful in day-to-day life. Are there any steps that they usually skip? What questions or steps helped them work through their problem?

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Problem Solving Packet Preview

Disclaimer: The resources available on Therapist Aid do not replace therapy, and are intended to be used by qualified professionals. Professionals who use the tools available on this website should not practice outside of their own areas of competency. These tools are intended to supplement treatment, and are not a replacement for appropriate training.

Copyright Notice: Therapist Aid LLC is the owner of the copyright for this website and all original materials/works that are included. Therapist Aid has the exclusive right to reproduce their original works, prepare derivative works, distribute copies of the works, and in the case of videos/sound recordings perform or display the work publicly. Anyone who violates the exclusive rights of the copyright owner is an infringer of the copyrights in violation of the US Copyright Act. For more information about how our resources may or may not be used, see our help page.

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Volume 41, Issue 9, September 2012

Problem solving therapy Use and effectiveness in general practice

Problem solving therapy has been described as pragmatic, effective and easy to learn. It is an approach that makes sense to patients and professionals, does not require years of training and is effective in primary care settings. 1 It has been described as well suited to general practice and may be undertaken during 15–30 minute consultations. 2

Problem solving therapy takes its theoretical base from social problem solving theory which identifies three distinct sequential phases for addressing problems: 3

Initially, the techniques of social problem solving emerged in response to empirical observations including that people experiencing depression exhibit a reduced capacity to resolve personal and social problems. 4,5 Problem solving therapy specifically for use in primary care was then developed. 6

Problem solving therapy has been shown to be effective for many common mental health conditions seen by GPs, including depression 7–9 and anxiety. 10,11 Most research has focused on depression. In randomised controlled trials, when delivered by appropriately trained GPs to patients experiencing major depression, PST has been shown to be more effective than placebo and equally as effective as antidepressant medication (both tricyclics and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors [SSRIs]). 7,8 A recent meta-analysis of 22 studies reported that for depression, PST was as effective as medication and other psychosocial therapies, and more effective than no treatment. 9 For patients experiencing anxiety, benefit from PST is less well established. It has been suggested it is most effective with selected patients experiencing more severe symptoms who have not benefited from usual GP care. 10 Problem solving therapy may also assist a group of patients often seen by GPs: those who feel overwhelmed by multiple problems but who have not yet developed a specific diagnosis.

Although PST has been shown to be beneficial for many patients experiencing depression, debate continues about the mechanism(s) through which the observed positive impact of PST on patient affect is achieved. Two mechanisms have been proposed: the patient improves because they achieve problem resolution, or they improve because of a sense of empowerment gained from PST skill development. 12 Perhaps both factors play a part in achieving the benefits of PST as a therapeutic intervention. The observed benefit of PST for patients experiencing anxiety may be due to problem resolution and consequent reduction in distress from anticipatory concern about the identified but unsolved problem.

It is important to note that, while in the clinical setting we may find ourselves attempting to solve problems for patients and to advise them on what we think they should do, 13 this is not PST. Essential to PST, as an evidence based therapeutic approach, is that the clinician helps the patient to become empowered to learn to solve problems for themselves. The GP's role is to work through the stages of PST in a structured, sequential way to determine and to implement the solution selected by the patient. These stages have been described previously. 14 Key features of PST are summarised in Table 1 .

Using PST in general practice

Using PST, like any other treatment approach, depends on identifying patients for whom it may be useful. Patients experiencing a symptom relating to life difficulties, including relationship, financial or employment problems, which are seen by the patient in a realistic way, may be suitable for PST. Frequently, such patients feel overwhelmed and at times confused by these difficulties. Encouraging the patient to clearly define the problem(s) and deal with one problem at a time can be helpful. To this end, a number of worksheets have been developed. A simple, single page worksheet is shown in Figure 1 . A typical case study in which PST may be useful is presented in Table 2 . By contrast, patients whose thinking is typically characterised by unhelpful negative thought patterns about themself or their world may more readily benefit from cognitive strategies that challenge unhelpful negative thought patterns (such as cognitive behaviour therapy [CBT]). 15 Some problems not associated with an identifiable implementable solution, including existential questions related to life meaning and purpose, may not be suitable for PST. Identification of supportive and coping strategies along with, if appropriate, work around reframing the question may be more suitable for such patients.

Problem solving therapy may be used with patients experiencing depression who are also on antidepressant medication. It may be initiated with medication or added to existing pharmacotherapy. Intuitively, we might expect enhanced outcomes from combined PST and pharmacotherapy. However, research suggests this does not occur, with PST alone, medication alone and a combination of PST and medication each resulting in a similar patient outcomes.8 In addition to GPs, PST may be provided by a range of health professionals, most commonly psychologists. General practitioners may find they have a role in reinforcing PST skills with patients who developed their skills with a psychologist, especially if all Better Access Initiative sessions with the psychologist have been utilised.

The intuitive nature of PST means its use in practice is often straightforward. However, this is not always the case. Common difficulties using PST with patients and potential solutions to these difficulties have previously been discussed by the author 14 and are summarised in Table 3 . Problem solving therapy may also have a role in supporting marginalised patients such as those experiencing major social disadvantage due to the postulated mechanism of action of empowerment of patients to address symptoms relating to life problems. 12 of action includes empowerment of patients to address symptom causing life problems. Social and cultural context should be considered when using PST with patients, including conceptualisation of a problem, its significance to the patient and potential solutions.

General practitioners may be concerned that consultations that include PST will take too much time. 13 However, Australian research suggests this fear may not be justified with many GPs being able to provide PST to a simulated patient with a typical presentation of depression in 20 minutes. 15 Therefore, the concern over consultation duration may be more linked to established patterns of practice than the use of PST. Problem solving therapy may add an increased degree of structure to complex consultations that may limit, rather than extend, consultation duration.

Figure 1. Problem solving therapy patient worksheet

PST skill development for GPs

Many experienced GPs have intuitively developed valuable problem solving skills. Learning about PST for such GPs often involves refining and focusing those skills rather than learning a new skill from scratch. 13 A number of practical journal articles 16 and textbooks 10 that focus on developing PST skills in primary care are available. In addition, PST has been included in some interactive mental health continuing medical education for GPs. 17 This form of learning has the advantage of developing skills alongside other GPs.

Problem solving therapy is one of the Medicare supported FPS available to GPs. It is an approach that has developed from a firm theoretical basis and includes principles that will be familiar to many GPs. It can be used within the constraints of routine general practice and has been shown, when provided by appropriately skilled GPs, to be as effective as antidepressant medication for major depression. It offers an additional therapeutic option to patients experiencing a number of the common mental health conditions seen in general practice, including depression 7–9 and anxiety. 10,11

Conflict of interest: none declared.

Also in this issue: Psychological strategies

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Problem solving therapy - use and effectiveness in general practice

Affiliation.

Background: Problem solving therapy (PST) is one of the focused psychological strategies supported by Medicare for use by appropriately trained general practitioners.

Objective: This article reviews the evidence base for PST and its use in the general practice setting.

Discussion: Problem solving therapy involves patients learning or reactivating problem solving skills. These skills can then be applied to specific life problems associated with psychological and somatic symptoms. Problem solving therapy is suitable for use in general practice for patients experiencing common mental health conditions and has been shown to be as effective in the treatment of depression as antidepressants. Problem solving therapy involves a series of sequential stages. The clinician assists the patient to develop new empowering skills, and then supports them to work through the stages of therapy to determine and implement the solution selected by the patient. Many experienced GPs will identify their own existing problem solving skills. Learning about PST may involve refining and focusing these skills.

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Social Problem Solving:

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Throughout history, philosophers have argued that the capacity to solve problems successfully in the real world is a crucial component for one's well-being. Psychologists have since been looking to understand the nuances of problem solving specifically as it applies to the self-directed cognitive–behavioral process by which an individual, couple, or group attempts to identify or discover effective solutions for problems encountered in everyday living. From this, researchers are developing training methods in which people can learn to solve problems effectively and positively, thereby leading to generalized and durable behavior changes.

In Social Problem Solving: Theory, Research, and Training , readers will find a nice balance of theory and research in social problem solving as well as practical methods and training approaches. Because of the widespread relevance of social problem solving, this book is not only for researchers and mental health practitioners, but also for students and other readers who would like to maximize their effectiveness and success in dealing with real and complex problems in everyday living.

Contributors

Foreword —Marvin R. Goldfried

Introduction: Social Problem Solving for the Real World —Edward C. Chang, Thomas J. D'Zurilla, and Lawrence J. Sanna

I. What Is Social Problem Solving?

II. Social Problem Solving and Adjustment

III. Problem Solving Training and Therapy

IV. Conclusion

Author Index

Subject Index

About the Editors

Edward C. Chang is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology and a Faculty Associate in Asian/Pacific Islander American Studies at the University of Michigan. He received his B.A. in psychology and philosophy from the State University of New York at Buffalo, and his M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. He completed his APA-accredited clinical internship at Bellevue Hospital Center-New York University Medical Center.

He is on the editorial boards of several prestigious journals, including the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology ® , Cognitive Therapy and Research , Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology , and the Asian Journal of Social Psychology . He has published numerous articles and chapters on optimism and pessimism, perfectionism, social problem solving, and cultural influences on behavior.

Dr. Chang is the editor of Optimism and Pessimism: Implications for Theory, Research, and Practice (2001, American Psychological Association) and Self-Criticism and Self-Enhancement: Theory, Research, and Clinical Implications (forthcoming, American Psychological Association), and is a co-editor of Virtue, Vice, and Personality: The Complexity of Behavior (2003, American Psychological Association).

Thomas J. D'Zurilla is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at Stony Brook University. He received his B.A. in psychology from Lafayette College and his M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in clinical psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Several decades ago, Dr. D'Zurilla spearheaded a new area of study on the role of social problem solving in adjustment and the efficacy of problem-solving training/therapy as a treatment and prevention method.

His seminal article with Marvin R. Goldfried, "Problem Solving and Behavior Modification" (1971, Journal of Abnormal Psychology ® ) was recognized as a Citation Classic in Current Contents (No. 50, December, 1984). Since the publication of this classical article, Dr. D'Zurilla has published numerous theoretical and research articles on these topics. He is also co-author with Arthur M. Nezu of the second edition of Problem-Solving Therapy: A social competence approach to clinical intervention (1999, Springer Publishing Co.), and is co-author with Arthur M. Nezu and Albert Maydeu-Olivares of the Social Problem-Solving Inventory (SPSI-R): Technical manual (2002, Multi-Health Systems, Inc.). His writing have been translated into Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, and French.

He is a member of the American Psychological Association, The Society for a Science of Clinical Psychology, and the Association for the Advancement of Behavior Therapy).

Lawrence J. Sanna is an Associate Professor in the Social Psychology Program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He received his B.A. from the University of Connecticut, and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the Pennsylvania State University. Dr. Sanna has previously held positions at Bucknell University and Washington State University, and was a Visiting Scholar at the University of Michigan. He has taught a variety of courses related to social and personality psychology, and he has published numerous articles in the areas of social cognition, personality processes, social judgment, and group influences.

Dr. Sanna is coauthor of Group Performance and Interaction (1999, Westview Press), and co-editor of Virtue, Vice, and Personality: The Complexity of Behavior (2003, American Psychological Association). He also currently serves on the editorial boards of the journals Personality and Social Psychology ® Bulletin , European Journal of Social Psychology , and Basic and Applied Social Psychology .

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Social Problem Solving Scenarios Boom Cards

Social Problem Solving Scenarios Boom Cards

Two Sisters Therapy - Nicole Absher

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Problem Solving Scenarios for Speech Therapy - Everyday Scenes- BOOM CARDS™

Problem Solving Scenarios for Speech Therapy - Everyday Scenes- BOOM CARDS™

Playing with Words

Adapted Book I NEED + ITEM Autism Speech Therapy 15 PROBLEM SOLVING scenarios!

Very Visual SLP

Also included in:  Problem Solving BUNDLE - 2 Adapted Books + BINGO Social Language Counseling

Working Memory Strategies - Boom Cards Speech Language Therapy distance learning

Working Memory Strategies - Boom Cards Speech Language Therapy distance learning

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BOOM Cards™️ Simple Problem Solving Speech & Language Social Skills Counseling

Size of the Problem BOOM CARDS™

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Social Skills + Pragmatic Language Activities Boom Cards Speech Therapy

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Anywhere Articulation: Speech Therapy (BOOM Cards included)

Anywhere Articulation: Speech Therapy (BOOM Cards included)

Panda Speech Therapy

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Non Verbal Communication Boom Cards No Print Speech | Distance Learning

Non Verbal Communication Boom Cards No Print Speech | Distance Learning

The Whimsical Word

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Problem Solving Leveled Practice BOOM CARD™ Deck

Problem Solving Leveled Practice BOOM CARD™ Deck

KI Speech Therapy - Kristin Immicke

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Making Inferences Boom Cards™ Bundle for Speech Therapy

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Inferencing & Problem Solving: Identify Problem & Solution/s

Inferencing & Problem Solving: Identify Problem & Solution/s

Blowing Babbles

Social Skills Autism | Boom Cards Problem Solving Older Students

Amy Haselden

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Small Problems & Big Problems, Size of the Problem BOOM Cards™ Distance Learning

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Music City Counselor

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Distance Learning Boom™ Cards: What will solve the problem?

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13+ Problem Solving Goals Speech Therapy

Our children and students are constantly having to navigate a different social situation all day long. That’s why teaching our students problem solving skills can be very beneficial. To help make your job as a Speech-Language Pathologist a little bit easier I’ve gone ahead and gathered over 13 problem solving goals for speech therapy.

Currently, with my 4-year-old twin boys, I am constantly working on how they can use their problem solving skills to come up with creative ways to solve their own problems.

Luckily as a speech therapist, I had training in teaching problem solving skills and love teaching them new strategies to try.

Right now my boys’ favorite way to problem solve is to say, “3 more minutes. You set a timer mommy.” The funny part is they don’t realize they could ask me for even more time (at least not yet!).

problem-solving-goals-speech-therapy

IEP Goals – Problem Solving Goals Speech Therapy

If you’re on the hunt for a long-term goal for problem solving here is our list of goals to add to your goal bank.

1. Given a problem and problem solving graphic organizer, STUDENT will identify 3 solutions, and the 3 consequences of those solutions, then determine the best solution and explain why that is the best solution with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.

2. Given a problem, STUDENT will appropriately identify the size of the problem with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.

3. Given problems at differing sizes, STUDENT will identify the appropriate reaction size to the problem with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.

4. Given a real-life or role-play scenario, STUDENT will demonstrate how to accept teacher help to make an appropriate decision during a conflict situation with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.

5. Given a real-life or role-play conflict scenario, STUDENT will demonstrate appropriate peer mediation skills to resolve the conflict with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.

6. Given a real-life or role-play conflict scenario, STUDENT will remain calm and relaxed, listen to the other person, and determine what they can agree on with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.

7. Given criticism or feedback, STUDENT will look at the person, say “okay”, and not argue with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.

8. Given a problem, STUDENT will define exactly what the problem is, brainstorm possible options, consider the disadvantages and advantages of options, and choose the best option with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.

9. Given a defeat or loss in a game, STUDENT will look at the person who won , remain calm, and congratulate the other person with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.

10. Given an upsetting situation, STUDENT will express HIS/HER anger with non-aggressive words to describe how HE/SHE feels with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.

11. Given a time when the student is angry, STUDENT will use a calming strategy (e.g., breathe slowly, take a break, count to 10, listen to music, etc.) with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.

12. Given a warning and a change in routine, STUDENT will identify exactly what is changing, ask questions, remain calm, and explain HIS/HER feelings of concern with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.

13. Given a warning and a change in routine, STUDENT will accept the change without becoming upset with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.

14. Given a social interaction, STUDENT will identify HIS/HER emotion and why HE/SHE is feeling that way with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities.

Social Communication Skills – IEP Goals

Do you have students working on other social skills goals or language skills? If so, you might want to check out my other goal banks. Here are a few of the goals you would find in my massive 432 iep goal bank :

problem-solving-goals

Short-Term Goals – Speech Therapy Goals

I know every district and even school setting has different ways it requires the goal writing of their objectives to be written, but typically my district wanted us to reduce either the number required or the percentage of achievement. 

Here are a few examples to help get you started.

If we take a sample goal:  

“Given a problem and problem solving graphic organizer, STUDENT will identify 3 solutions, the 3 consequences of those solutions, then determine the best solution, and explain why that is the best solution with 80% accuracy over 3 out of 4 consecutive sessions.”

(Meaning out of 4 therapy sessions in a row. They identified 3 possible solutions, the 3 consequences of those solutions and then determined the best solution in 2 out of 4 or 50% of the time in order to mark that goal mastered.) 

As the speech pathologist, you are the specialist and you know your students’ communication disorders and child’s ability best though, so just take the functional goals from above and simplify them into achievable steps for your specific student.

SEE ALSO: 31 Best Wordless Videos to Teach Problem Solving

Data collections – problem solving goals speech therapy.

If you’re a speech therapist or have classroom teachers in need of data tracking forms while working on your student’s social interaction skills for speech therapy then be sure to check out my IEP goal data tracking for progress monitoring forms .

IEP-goal-tracking

Or if you simply want a list of data sheets to choose from then be sure to check out my list of 35 free speech therapy data sheets roundup .

data-collection-speech-therapy

Visual Cue – Problem Solving Goals Speech Therapy

I always love using visual cues with my students. It can really help teach a concept that can be overwhelming. 

Here is my problem solving graphic organizer that helps teach problem solving. As your child or student fills out the form you can start by providing helpful verbal prompts and hopefully, the more they work on their problem solving skills and will need less prompts.

problem-solving-visual-cue

Here are all my blog posts about problem solving that you might also find helpful!

31 Best Wordless Videos to Teach Problem Solving – Watch the fun short youtube videos and then help solve the hypothetical problems.

problem-solving-goals-videos

71+ Free Social Problem-Solving Scenarios – Read the scenarios and practice solving the problems using the helpful graphic organizer pages.

problem-solving-goals-scenarios

Problem Solving Wheel: Help Kids Solve Their Own Problems – Use our problem solving wheel or make your own individualized problem solving wheel for your specific student.

problem-solving-goals-wheel

High School Students

The most important thing we can teach our high school aged students is how to advocate for themselves during their school day within a social setting.  

Inside my tpt store I have a self-advocacy lesson to practice solving their school life problems in a functional way. Have your students grab a communication partner and get started!

self-advocacy

In addition to the self-advocacy lesson plan I also have a phone call lesson plan in my tpt store for making phone calls in the workplace or everyday life, such as calling the pharmacy or dentist’s office.

workplace-communication

SEE ALSO: 71+ Free Social Problem-Solving Scenarios

Younger children.

Currently inside of my tpt store I have a problem size and reaction size lesson plan to help our younger children understand that problems are of different sizes and therefore different reaction sizes.

problem-size-reaction-size

Another great problem solving resource in my tpt store is my problem solving restorative justice graphic visual to help children review their own feeling along with how the other person might have felt and then solve their problem.

restorative-justice

Picture Scene

SEE ALSO: Problem Solving Wheel: Help Kids Solve Their Own Problems

problem-solving-speech-therapy

Social Conversation

If you’re looking for conversational skills to keep your middle school and high school aged students engaged, asking follow-up questions, or working on generalizing their skills across multiple settings you’ll want to check out the following blog posts. 

These ideas are perfect for working in a small group setting on your student’s functional communication skills. 

Short Story

In Conclusion: Problem Solving Goals Speech Therapy

I hope you found this list of problem solving goals to be helpful along with the resources.

Wishing you a wonderful year ahead! 

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Problem solving pictures speech therapy

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Social Problem Solving Pictures Teaching Resources

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340 Inferences & Problem Solving ideas

IMAGES

  1. FREE Social Scenario Problem Solving Sampler

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  2. Counselor Chelsey Shop

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  3. 71+ Free Social Problem-Solving Scenarios

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  4. 8 Best Project images

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  5. Speech Therapy Life Skill Social Skills: 15 Differentiated Lesson Plans

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  6. Ms. Sepp's Counselor Corner: S.T.E.P. Problem Solving Method

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VIDEO

  1. Johnny Thunders-Help the Homeless

  2. Psychosocial Approach

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  4. psychological problems

  5. Social Psychology

  6. Experiment on Pro Social Behavior

COMMENTS

  1. Problem-Solving Therapy: Definition, Techniques, and Efficacy

    Problem-solving therapy is a form of therapy that provides patients with tools to identify and solve problems that arise from life stressors, both big and small. Its aim is to improve your overall quality of life and reduce the negative impact of psychological and physical illness. 1

  2. 9: Problem Solving Therapy

    Problem-Solving Therapy (PST) for Suicide Prevention is a brief form of evidence-based treatment that teaches and empowers patients to solve the here-and-now problems contributing to suicidal ideation, self-directed violence and hopelessness. It has been shown to help increase self-efficacy and reduce risk of self-harm and suicide.

  3. 10 Best Problem-Solving Therapy Worksheets & Activities

    "Problem-solving therapy (PST) is a psychosocial intervention, generally considered to be under a cognitive-behavioral umbrella" (Nezu, Nezu, & D'Zurilla, 2013, p. ix). It aims to encourage the client to cope better with day-to-day problems and traumatic events and reduce their impact on mental and physical wellbeing.

  4. Problem-Solving Therapy

    In Problem-Solving Therapy, Drs. Arthur Nezu and Christine Maguth Nezu demonstrate their positive, goal-oriented approach to treatment. Problem-solving therapy is a cognitive-behavioral intervention geared to improve an individual's ability to cope with stressful life experiences.

  5. Social Skills Training for Adults: 10 Best Activities + PDF

    This worksheet on Social Problem Solving allows your clients to define the problems they are facing and rate the potential solutions from low to high efficacy. Based on the rating, therapists can instruct clients to practice their social reasoning during sessions.

  6. PDF Social Problem Solving Therapy For Depression and Executive Dysfunction

    al., 1993) is Social Problem Solving Therapy (SPST). SPST offers older adults an empirically supported treatment geared towards treatment of depression by teaching problem solving skills to patients so that they can address their negative perceptions and cognitions while in therapy and upon completion of treatment, be able to continue to do

  7. 71+ Free Social Problem-Solving Scenarios

    Problem Solving Importance Social problem-solving skills are critical to a child's social interactions, personal and professional relationships. A child's ability to handle change, cope with stress, and handle challenges improves with a child's ability to successfully solve social problems.

  8. PDF Problem Solving Therapy

    Problem-Solving Therapy (PST) is a brief, psychosocial treatment for patients experiencing depression and distress related to inefficient problem-solving skills. The PST model instructs patients on problem identification, ... (2007): Social Problem Solving Inventory-Revised (SPSI-R) Gellis et al. (2008): Social Problem Solving Inventory-Revised ...

  9. Problem Solving Therapy: PST in 3 Steps

    Problem-solving therapy is a type of talk therapy that can help people learn how to solve problems in a healthy way. The therapist will work with the patient to identify and understand the problem, brainstorm possible solutions, select the best solution, and put the plan into action.

  10. Problem-Solving Therapy (PST)

    Problem-Solving Therapy (PST) is a brief psychosocial treatment for patients experiencing depression and distress related to inefficient problem-solving skills. The PST model instructs patients on problem identification, efficient problem-solving, and managing associated depressive symptoms.

  11. Problem Solving Treatment (PST)

    The AIMS Center encourages organizations and clinicians to pursue certification in Problem Solving Treatment (PST). Clinicians are taught by expert trainers using procedures and standards set by the National Network of PST Clinicians, Trainers & Researchers. Patrick J. Raue, PhD, Associate Director for Evidence-based Psychosocial Interventions at the AIMS Center, directs the

  12. (PDF) Social Problem Solving: Theory and Assessment.

    Social problem solving approaches offer parents and adolescents opportunities to resolve issues, such as bullying, preferably in adaptive ways (D'Zurilla et al., 2004). Problem solving...

  13. Problem Solving Therapy: How It Works & What to Expect

    Problem-solving therapy (PST) is an intervention with cognitive and behavioral influences used to assist individuals to better manage life problems. PST is used in a variety of settings to address a wide range of issues including depression, anxiety, and more.

  14. Problem-Solving Therapy for Depression

    What is problem-solving therapy? Problem-solving therapy (PST) is a form of psychotherapy. ... Social PST: Your therapist will help you identify solutions to everyday problems in social settings ...

  15. Social problem-solving

    Social problem-solving, in its most basic form, is defined as problem solving as it occurs in the natural environment. [1] More specifically it refers to the cognitive-behavioral process in which one works to find adaptive ways of coping with everyday situations that are considered problematic.

  16. Problem Solving Packet (Worksheet)

    Each page covers one of five problem solving steps with a rationale, tips, and questions. The steps include defining the problem, generating solutions, choosing one solution, implementing the solution, and reviewing the process. Be sure to talk to your clients about how the five problem solving steps can be useful in day-to-day life.

  17. Problem solving therapy Use and effectiveness in general practice

    Problem solving therapy takes its theoretical base from social problem solving theory which identifies three distinct sequential phases for addressing problems: 3 discovery (finding a solution) performance (implementing the solution) verification (assessing the outcome).

  18. Problem solving therapy

    Background: Problem solving therapy (PST) is one of the focused psychological strategies supported by Medicare for use by appropriately trained general practitioners. Objective: This article reviews the evidence base for PST and its use in the general practice setting. Discussion: Problem solving therapy involves patients learning or reactivating problem solving skills.

  19. Social Problem Solving: Theory, Research, and Training

    Psychologists have since been looking to understand the nuances of problem solving specifically as it applies to the self-directed cognitive-behavioral process by which an individual, couple, or group attempts to identify or discover effective solutions for problems encountered in everyday living.

  20. Results for boom learning problem solving speech therapy

    Bri-SLP. 4.9. (32) $3.00. PDF. Internet Activities. This BOOM CARDS™ deck targets understanding of the social concept "size of the problem" and is designed for elementary-aged students. It begins with a lesson that teaches the differences between small, medium, and big problems.

  21. ERIC

    The study aimed to investigate the direct effect of volunteer motivation on social problem-solving ability, self-efficacy, and mental health and examine the mediating effects on volunteer motivation and mental health by testing social problem-solving ability and self-efficacy. We examined a hypothetical model that integrates the concepts of Self-Determination Theory, the Social Problem Solving ...

  22. 13+ Problem Solving Goals Speech Therapy

    Social Skills Problem Solving: Fighting with Friends by Let's Build Language- Jaclyn Watson - Grab this freebie to help your students problem solve social challenges around fighting with friends. In Conclusion: Problem Solving Goals Speech Therapy I hope you found this list of problem solving goals to be helpful along with the resources.

  23. Problem solving pictures speech therapy

    Problem solving pictures speech therapy 71+ Free Social Problem-Solving Scenarios. Speech Therapy Store is dedicated to making your speech therapy life easier one resource at a time.